On Aug. 26, 2019, Schoolcraft College President, Dr. Conway Jeffress addressed faculty and staff during the Fall Welcome Back breakfast, presenting on the development of changes that are to begin both on and off campus. This update comes less than six months after the announcement of the collaboration between Schoolcraft College and their partners, Saint Joseph Mercy Health System and Integrated Health Associates, who announced in March 2019 they would construct a new medical facility on Schoolcraft Campus. Furthermore, Jeffress discussed additional changes to the garage housing the motorcycles on the Radcliff campus, the Applied Science and Fitness Center on main campus and the purchasing of a warehouse which would be located adjacent to the Public Safety Training facility.
“Almost all of these projects have a domino effect to them,” states Jeffress. “In every project you see here, there’s a connection. There is a facility that produces a revenue stream. There is a talent base that produces talent for our students and there is a place for our students to work for the jobs available in that location.”

Changes to the Applied Science (AS) building are expected to be the largest of the developments with Jeffress referring to it as “strictly a Schoolcraft project.” Funding partially by a state grant, development will add 36,700 square feet to the AS building allowing for the addition of several new programs within the building.
“This will allow us to do a couple of things,” states Jeffress. “It will allow us to expand the nursing and medical operations, which is a primary thrust of this structure. Secondly, even out the building. It will take advantage of the grade between the front and back of building.”
Further changes to the AS building will include the implementation of more glass throughout building which will be done for two purposes. The first allows for the students walking through the hallways to see what is happening inside the classrooms. The second is a marketing technique which will promote and market the programs held inside. Lastly, changes being made to the Applied Sciences building will have an ambulatory bay within the classroom, allowing the ambulance to back into the classroom, giving the students practical experiences to prepare them for the profession.
Expansion of the Nursing and medical programs means that the skilled trade professions would need to relocate.
Schoolcraft has purchased a warehouse which is located off campus, adjacent to the Public Safety facility and will house those skilled trade professions being relocated from the Applied Sciences building.
“Welding, computer labs and heavy lifting skilled trade from Applied Science building which will be offered twice as much space as currently provided,” states Jeffress.
Moreover, Jeffress addressed the more practical changes coming to the Fitness Center at the request of St. Joe’s stating, “St. Joe’s wanted to add a facility which allowed for PT type training and a number of other physical activities.”
Inside changes are to include tennis courts and a multipurpose space, in addition to space for Fitness Leadership and Mercy Elite.
Lastly, Jeffress refers to the new medical building which will be located on the northeast quadrant of the campus, adjacent to I-275, just north of the St. Joe’s Sports Dome. “It will be named the Schoolcraft Medical Center,” states Jeffress. “We would like to include the Nursing and OR techs, the MRI techs and also CT scan techs.”
Initial groundbreaking is scheduled to begin in October 2019 and students, faculty, staff and visitors are encouraged to be mindful as to where they are able to park.

Photos courtesy of Schoolcraft College